Legal Insights from a Toronto Employment Lawyer
Practical articles on wrongful dismissal, severance packages, employment contracts, and workplace rights in Ontario — written by Sezar Bune, J.D.
Employer’s Duty To Accommodate
Human Rights and an Employer's Duty to Accommodate In Ontario, all employees are protected by a provincial law called the Human Rights Code ("Code"). The Code has a very important role in protecting people to ensure they are not discriminated against not only at work,...
Got a New Employment Contract? What You Need to Know in Ontario.
It's always an exciting time being offered a new job opportunity - a new role, a fresh start and - most importantly - more pay, perks and benefits. But with that new gig may also come a request from your new employer that you sign a new "employment contract," before...
Employee Rights in Ontario
In Ontario, What Are an Employee's Basic Rights at Work? In Ontario, employment is governed by a variety of different laws. As a result, employment law is highly specialized, complex and consistently changing. However, there are specific legal rights that employees in...
Terminating Employment in Ontario: Just Cause vs. Without Cause
In Ontario, if an employer wants to end an employee’s job with the company, it generally has two options: It can either terminate the employee “with cause” or “without cause.” This is an all-or-nothing rule, and there is simply no middle ground for an employer to...
How Can I Tell If I’m an Employee or Independent Contractor?
I am often asked by my clients the following question: “am I an employee or independent contractor?” This is an issue that both employees and employers often struggle with in Ontario, but understanding the difference is important in any work arrangement. In our...
Changes to the Ontario Employment Standards Act
In the world of employment law, the times they are a changin'. Once again, the Ontario government has announced major changes to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (the “ESA”), this time cutting back on many of the reforms that were made by the previous government. ...
Top Things to Look For in an Employment Contract
Top Things to Look for in an Employment Contract In Ontario, every employee has an employment contract with their employer that states the terms of their job. It can be either oral or written. If an employment contract is in writing, it is especially important for an...
What is the Employment Standards Act?
The Employment Standards Act (ESA) is the law that establishes important legal rights for most employees in Ontario. It says that employees are entitled to “minimum” work standards that their employers have to satisfy, including: Minimum Wage: most workers must be...
I Was Fired from Work. What Are an Employee’s Next Steps?
Losing your job can be stressful, overwhelming and confusing. But it is an experience that many of us go through at some point in our lives. When it happens, it is helpful to have a plan in place to get through the uncertainty, and better...